


Old Flames burning Cold

by englishrose2011



Series: The Silver and the Black [3]
Category: Charmed, The Sentinel
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-12
Updated: 2013-10-12
Packaged: 2017-12-29 06:00:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1001835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishrose2011/pseuds/englishrose2011
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When David Foxworth sets his sights on his old flame Phoebe Halliwell, and his sister closes in on Jim Ellison, it looks like the Tr'io is about to be tested.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old Flames burning Cold

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The main characters are not mine, this is an amateur effort written purely for the fun of it, and no money has exchanged hands, and it is not intended to breach the copyright of Paramount and Pet Fly Publication for The Sentinel, or Spelling Productions, WB and TNT for Charmed.
> 
> This story is an AU Sentinel crossed with an AU Charmed.

Silver and Black

Cascade James Ellison, Sentinel Detective and Silver Blade Warrior for good, looked round the Loft. His sanctuary of peace and quiet looked as if a demonic force had hit it, and with a harrumph he knew that he was partly correct, as his own demonic force came out of the small bedroom; Blair Sandburg, aka Bh'lear, Assassin and Enforcer for the Source of All Evil, and his Guide.

Blair was around five foot eight, with long dark curly hair that was hanging round his shoulders. His clothing, as usual, was all black as he picked up his coat and headed for the door.

"Stop right there, Chief".

"Come on, James, I am running late, and this no shimmering rule is a real bitch, so…"

"So what do you call this"? Jim waved a hand round the room; a trail of wet footprints ran from the bathroom to the bedroom, and along it, a trail of towels.

"I'll pick them up later. I have…"

"Blair", Jim hardened his tone, "Remember the rules, you pick up after yourself. I am not your maid". He allowed his gaze to pointedly run down the smaller man's body and then back again. "You're actually going out like that?"?

"Now what the f…"

"Blair, you know what I said about that, keep it clean or you'll be blowing bubbles, mister." He shook his head. Blair's language was colorful at the best of times, and Jim was actively working on it. But there was no way that he could get Blair to change his style of dress, his clothing was the all black of the demonic orders, and he favored tight leather trousers that looked as if they had been spray painted on him, and the knowledge that his Guide went commando was not exactly very reassuring. At this rate Blair was going to end up getting busted by Vice.

This was an argument they had had before, and would keep having, until Blair finally looked less like a hooker and more like the Police Observer that he was suppose to be when they worked at the PD. Keeping his voice level and calm, it was no good yelling at him, he would only shimmer out, "Blair, you're my Guide, and Silver Blade Sentinel's Guides do not go around looking like a hooker. Now go back and change into those Dockers I bought you".

"Bite me, Blade", Blair said as he shimmered out.

Jim slammed his coffee cup down and orbed out after him. He could not really curse out the Tr'io decree that had brought them together as it was an ancient decree only enacted when a force of great power was on the brink of disrupting the balance of good and evil. It resulted in the pairing of a Demon, and a force of light, who were then fated to work together until death do they part. Because of the threat a Demon called Kaaper had posed, two Tr'io teams, for the first time ever, had been recruited. Jim's, in Cascade, and a second in San Francisco, where a Witch and Demon had been called. He just hoped that they were having an easier time of it.

0-0-0-0-0

San Francisco

David Foxworth was 28 years and painfully aware that both he and his sister had been a sad disappointment to their father. Rodney Foxworth was an important man, well placed in local government, and looking to go national. But in these days you needed more, and that was something that they could both deliver. It would need planning, very careful planning, but they would pull it off; they had to if they wanted to see a brass nickel of his money.

That was why David was sitting in his car watching the front door of an old manor house. It was chic Psycho, where you could easily imagine Norman Bates coming out of the doorway. And inside of it was his target, Phoebe Halliwell. They had first met in New York, her and her kooky hats and clothes had made an impression on him, and she had ended up in his bed. But daddy had read the riot act and he had severed his connection with Phoebe without a backward glance. She had thought he loved her, he had thought she was a good lay and nothing more. Now he was going to sweep her off her feet, and through her, gain what he wanted.

0-0-0-0

It was still early and Phoebe was cuddled up to her boyfriend, her head resting on his shoulder, his arms round her waist, holding her tucked against him as if afraid that she would vanish.

They were warm and safe, and for a few moments she could imagine that things were normal... that she was not a Witch, and he was not an Arch Demon, the personal assassin and enforcer of the Source of All Evil.

Phoebe rubbed her face lightly against his shoulder. She had been surprised after their initial shock in the hotel, the night they had celebrated killing Kaaper, a Demon that had threatened the world with his evil, that her sisters had appeared to accept Cole.

Pru, she colored slightly, had walked in, and it could not have been a worse moment, to find the two of them together in bed. Pru still viewed Cole with some suspicion, and Phoebe was sure there had been a few riot acts read to him along the lines of hurt my sister and you fry, mister.

But she knew that Cole would never hurt her. He might be an Arch Demon, a warrior trained in the Black Arts, yet like this, her dark Demon lover in more ways than one, was at rest, his power dormant, but awake he was lethal. Cole was not always Mr. Nice Guy with people other than her or her family. After all, you didn't get to be a Dark Warrior by playing nice.

Gently, with the tips of her fingers, she traced his face, her partner in the Tr'io, her lover. She gave a small smile. Well, technically, her lover. So far, between interruption from her sisters and a collapsing bed in Cascade, it had not been more than a lot of passionate foreplay. After last nights demon slaying they had just fallen into bed, and slept.

Her smile became wicked, as she slid her hand under the sheet and moved it over his firm body, towards her target. She had a demon to ravish and knew exactly the right wake up call.

0-0-0-0-0

Cascade

Jim was sitting on the bench in the locker room. He'd just picked up his sword when the air was shattered by the screeching of alarms as Blair appeared in the locker room.

Pushing past his Guide, Jim hit the wall intercom. "Control, this is James Ellison. The unauthorized shimmer is my Guide. You can cancel the armed response." He paused, "I know, I will tell him again, Control."

Blair just grinned at him, "Just keeping them on their toes, I…" The Demon's voice trailed off as he saw his Sentinel pick up a second sword, which he recognized as his own, and throw it to him. He caught it instinctively.

"Get out of that jacket, Blair, we have some work to do. You Demons respect power and strength. Well, it's time you respected me, and if that means beating your ass, then kid, I am going to do it. I am the Alpha of this partnership, and you are going to tow the line. See you out in the gym, you have ten. So move it."

Blair watched him stride out, and a smile curved his lips. This was going to be interesting.

0-0-0-0

Ashley Foxworth Palmer watched the two men working out in the gym. The clash of steel on steel as the swords flashed in the overhead light loud to her ears.

Her attention was fixed on James Ellison, bare chested and barefoot, wearing only a pair of sweat soaked shorts working out, the sweat running down his chest and arms as he swung the sword at the other man.

That had to be the Demon Blair. The smaller man jumped back and the tip of Ellison's sword brushed the loose baggy shirt he wore, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, his sword countered the blow, and his bare feet slapped on the floor as he turned it into a lunge.

The lunge was parried away, and the Sentinel brought his blade round fast and the Demon only just managed to block it, the force of the blow making him take a step back. The sweat matted the smaller man's hair to his face and neck, she could see that both of them were skilled, yet the Sentinel was winning, but it would be a hard earned victory.

There was a clash of steel and the two men were chest to chest, the Sentinel's leg swept round and the Demon went down, landed heavily on his back, and his head hit the floor with a thud, his grip on the sword seemed to loosen. As she watched the Sentinel seemed to hesitate.

Ashley, seeing that the bout was now over, raised a hand to her face, pushed her red hair back, fixed her smile, and clutched the folder to her chest. "Detective Ellison," she spoke loudly, breaking the Sentinel's concentration just as the Demon swung his sword round, and to her dismay, she saw the blood streak across the older man's chest.

Jim Ellison pulled back as the pain shot through him like a thousand needles. Blair was on his feet and immediately at his Sentinel's side.

Ashley's hand flew to her mouth. She had thought that they were using blunt training weapons, not real swords. She rushed to Jim's side, pulling out a clean handkerchief from her shoulder bag.

"Detective, I am sorry, so sorry, I didn't think".

Jim caught Blair's wrist as the fireball began to form, pushing his hand down. "NO ! It was an accident. I am okay, Blair", he added firmly, "I am okay," and tugged Blair's wrist again to make him turn back to face him.

With a glare that could melt paint, Blair turned back to his Sentinel, pulling off his own shirt, using it to wipe away the blood, and examining the wound. He ignored the handkerchief that she offered. He wanted nothing of her to touch his Sentinel. The wound was more messy than serious, and would heal without scarring. If it scarred he would give her the same.

At that moment, the demonic possessive nature that was part and parcel of a Tr'io pairing, coupled with the intense nature of a bonding Guide, vied with the need not to cause James grief, which he knew would follow if he gave in and killed this interloper. But then Jim's gentle tug brought him back to the present.

Ashley was not too sure what to do next; this wasn't exactly the impression she'd wanted to make on the Sentinel. But all was not lost if she worked it right.

It was then she saw the burns that marred the body of the Demon, down his left flank across his shoulder and on his arm, the scar tissue looked old.

So… It seemed that someone had come close to vanquishing him in the past. Now that was worth knowing.

Her heart couldn't help but sink slightly, her brother had it easy. Sentinel and Guide teams were nearly impossible to break apart once they had fully bonded but, until then, she had a chance and there were things she could offer the Sentinel that the Demon couldn't. When she was finished with him, Jim would not want that creature.

"I am sorry, Sentinel, I should have thought...." She lowered her eyes, dipped her head and then looked up. She was pleased with the result, as she saw a shift in the Sentinel's eyes. That was promising. Ellison was well known for keeping his emotions to himself, and that look showed his interest.

"Like I said, it was an accident. Look, if you need to talk to me, unless it's an emergency, go to Major Crimes, and I'll be up. I need to shower and change first." he added, "Come on, Blair."

He had started to walk away, then turned. "Blair!" he made the name a command. He didn't trust the younger man not to fry her the minute his back was turned.

Blair turned away from her almost reluctantly. Jim slung an arm round his Guide and tugged him along.

Once in the locker room Jim pushed Blair down onto the bench. He sank down next to him, only to have Jim have to catch hold as he bounced up again. "Blair, quit it."

Jim released his hold and then used the shirt to dab at his wound, "See? It's a nick. I've been hurt worse shaving."

Blair caught the blade of Jim's sword and ran his hand down the edge, his blood smearing across the blade before the Sentinel could stop him. "What the hell, Blair?"

"Blood for blood, Sentinel. Pain is the price for spilling the blood of my Sentinel."

"You…" Jim gave up on what he was going to say and instead, with a warning to his Guide to stay put, went hunting for the first aid box. Life with his demonic Guide was like a roller coaster; he was so unpredictable it was like nailing down quicksilver.

"It's lucky I was a medic. Let me take a look at that hand." Blair held it out as Jim sat down near him and opened the box. Blair's hand in his, the larger hand carefully cradling his Guide's. Without conscious thought, Jim's senses all snapped into place as he used them to scan and check the wound. "You're lucky it's a clean cut. All I need do is cover that up for you." Jim swore and then pulled back as a drop of Blair's blood hit the floor and began to sizzle, cutting into the tiles. He looked at his blade, then back at Blair. As if reading his mind, Blair put in, "Your blade is tempered to withstand demonic blood. Don't let it touch you because I would not want it to hurt you."

"How do I dress this?"

"My jacket, be careful. There's a piece of parchment from the Grimoire in there. You need to cut it and then place it onto the wound.

With Blair watching, Jim cut off a thin strip of the parchment and returned the rest to the small bag. Using the tweezers, he placed it onto the wound. The blood stuck the parchment in place.

He looked up when Blair took a quick intake of breath, "You okay, Chief?"? He bound the parchment to his Guide's hand.

But Blair didn't say a word; his eyes seemed to become darker.

Worried, Jim raised his hand and cupped his Guide's face; with his thumb he lightly stroked Blair's jaw. Thinking that the Demon was still worried he added, "You worry too much. You could never hurt me intentionally."

Blair leaned into the touch, moving so his face brushed against Jim's fingers. But his eyes were still dark, and there was a flash in them, and the Sentinel felt a surge of possessiveness run through him. Before he could say anything, a new voice cut in.

"How touching. How is the little miss?" The sarcastic tone came from behind them. Standing near the showers was Hank Micham, one of the uniformed cops. He had gone out of his way to spread rumors about the Sentinel and Guide pairing. Luckily, most of the other police officers had ignored it. Ellison was too good a cop, and life was too short, to piss him off with malicious rumors. And since he had gained a Demon for a partner, they had decided to let it drop.

But some people never learned.

The fireball incinerated the towel the man was holding, as Blair had pulled free, turned fast, and thrown it in a heartbeat.

But, in his present condition, it was not enough for Blair. The Guide was on the man before he could even speak, and the moment they touched. Blair shimmered.

Jim swore; he had to get the other officer back before he was missed.

Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on his Guide, but Blair was gone. The Sentinel pulled his clothes on, and his language got bluer. Jim didn't swear very often, but when he did, it was an education.

He shoved his gun back in its holster and then orbed. There was one man who would know where Blair had gone, and Jim was paying him a visit.

0-0-0-0-0

Pru was sat at the kitchen table enjoying a snack when there was a burst of white light. Looking up she expected to see a Whitelighter, but certainly not Jim Ellison.

"Jim, where's the fire? Is Kaaper back?"

"The bad guy's only come back in the movies, Pru. I need Cole."

"Upstairs," She rolled her eyes, "don't ask," Then she was on her feet, catching his arm. "I don't think that he would… Oh shit!" The last said as she felt herself being reduced to white light as Jim orbed upstairs.

Cole had his witch pinned to the bed, playing the big bad Demon, and was in mid-ravish when, from the corner of his eye, he saw the white light. He rolled from Phoebe, pushing her off the bed away from it, his hand held a fireball ready to vanquish whoever was coming.

Then he hesitated as he recognized Jim Ellison, his brother's Sentinel.

"Get your clothes on, Coleridge. We have to find Blair."

"Coleridge?" Phoebe tried to suppress a giggle as, from the other side of the bed, she got to her feet, rubbing her bottom with one hand as she tried to pull the sheet round her. Then she stifled the giggle as she saw the look on his face, he was not happy.

The fireball that had materialized in his hand he left hovering in the air near his shoulder. He crossed his arms, "So what have you done to Blair, if you hurt him....?"

"Calm down, Cole. Blair got pissed with someone, vanished with them, and I could not track him. He somehow mudded the waters when he shimmered."

"What's wrong with you?" he snarled as he saw Pru's expression.

Pru was looking above Cole's shoulder only, keeping her eyes fixed on his face, and not letting her eyes slip down his body. She mentally tried to make the rules about clothing and Demonic boyfriends.

Jim rescued her. My fault. She hitched a ride. So get your ass in gear and let's find your brother. I can understand why he was pissed but I can't let him fry the man. He might be a bigoted asshole but he's still a cop." Jim paused, "Sorry, ladies," as he apologized for his language.

Cole began to gather his clothes up, all the time muttering under his breath. Pru glanced at Jim, who answered, "Latin… and you don't want to know."

Phoebe dived under the bed to retrieve a shoe, and for a moment, Cole paused to admire the view… until a none to gentle hand on his shoulder brought him back to the present. He was still hopping on one foot getting his shoe on when he shimmered. Jim followed this time and he knew the climate was going to get hotter.

Pru's hands went to her hips. "Phoebe."

"Er, hi Pru." She pushed her hair back from her face. "Now might not be the time to talk about Cole moving in full time… save him a lot of shimmering, and you should just see where he's living." She gave a shudder.

Bending , Pru picked up a pair of black boxers, holding them with thumb and forefinger. "Black, I should have guessed." Then, trying to suppress a grin, she extended the underwear, "I think these belong to you."

Turning, she exited quickly.

Once the door closed Pru gave way to the laughter that had been bubbling up since she had been orbed in. Her love life might be at an all time low, but Phoebe's had certainly livened up the manor. She gave a shrug. Actually, she quite liked Cole, not that she would let on; she had her big sister image to live up to.

But Cole was protective and she knew tolerant of them, because of Phoebe. The tall darkly handsome Demon might not try to let on, but he was changing, and changing for the better.

The knock at the front door brought her down the stairs. She pulled the door open, looked at David Foxworth, and the humor of the day vanished.

This man was trouble.

0-0-0-0

Jim looked round him; he had latched onto the force of Cole's shimmer and had been taken with him. He looked round. "Underworld, right?"

"Blair would bring anyone here." Cole headed off down one of the corridors, towards a chamber.

A guard Demon blocked their way as he recognized a Silver Blade, but before he could even react, he disappeared into ash. Cole didn't even break pace.

It was a very good reminder of just what the Tr'io had done; it had coupled good with evil. But the evil, as of yet, had not been transmuted. It was still very real, no matter what changes were going on in the Dark Magic part of the partnership. Cole, aka the Demon Belthazor, had made no attempt to explain what was happening. He had just reacted. The guard Demon was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and had been taken out.

"What happened to Blair? You jerked me out of bed, so you might as well tell me the full story."

Jim could hear the frustration and anger in Cole's voice, and he noticed the red flickering flames that ran across his fingers. Both the demonic brothers had short fuses, and their powers were directly tapped into their emotional state.

"Blair was working out with me, sword practice, and accidentally hurt me. Then he cut himself with my own sword and said something about blood for blood."

"He would, Blair was brought up", he shrugged "just as I was, to believe that punishment is the only way to be forgiven. The Source once took my left hand off, and left me on my knees, bleeding to death."

Only a Sentinel would have seen the shudder that ran through the tall Demon, he hid it that well. "When, on the point of true death, he saved me and restored my hand, he was showing his power, and in submitting to his justice, I was showing my allegiance to him."

There was something in the tone of voice that Jim could not deny, and he gave Cole's shoulder a gentle pat as they walked. He felt the Demon flinch under his hand, and for a split second, kept it in place.

Both Demons, it seemed, had not had much human contact with people, beyond their hunting down and killing of innocents, and their fight against the forces of good.

It looked like both he and Phoebe were going to need to exchange notes on this because they were both going to have their hands full.

"So then what happened?"

"Sorry," Jim continued with his story, "He was bleeding and his blood started to eat away at the tiles, I take it you're the same?" Jim didn't wait for an answer, "He took out a piece of parchment and then used it to stem the blood. His eyes went dark, and then Hank mouthed off and Blair took him away."

Cole came to a halt. "The Source gave us both a page from the Grimoire. As you know, bullets can't harm us, it takes steel or magic to kill us or seriously injure us. If we are hurt the parchment taps into the healing powers of the book."

"Pure evil."

"If you wish, Silver Blade." He paused, "The reaction is hard to describe, but Blair will not be at his most logical," The smile was sardonic, "and he's going to be rather hyper."

Cole stepped over the ashes of two more guards. "See what I mean?"

The Chamber was bright with the red light coming from a pit that dominated the room; the heat was nearly a physical force.

Hank was balanced on a narrow rock walkway that crossed it. He was struggling to keep his grip on it, and Blair was on the other side.

"All you have to do, mortal, is cross the pit and you'll be free. Of course, you then have to get past me. But a little fag should not be a problem. I heard you, mortal." His tone was chilling. "You are trying to endanger my Sentinel and make it difficult for him to do his work. Now, personally, I can't see the interest in interfering with people's lives and helping innocents. After all, who is really innocent? You're not. Yet James would say that you were. Me, I say cull the herd, so come on… you can take me. What did you tell the other? He's a little fag who spends all his time on his knees? You have no idea, mortal."

"Cole, you get Hank back to the PD and I'll see to Blair. And Cole... thanks."

For a split second the Sentinel could see something in the taller Demon's eyes, as if he wasn't use to people actually thanking him.

Blair screamed in frustration as he saw his brother appear, catch hold of his victim, and then vanish. But before he could shimmer, Jim was across the rock walkway, with not even a thought of the narrowness of it or the depth of the pit below.

He hit his Guide in a football tackle that brought the smaller man crashing down. Using all of his weight advantage, he held his Guide down, the other's dark eyes boring into Jim. Then, with a surge of strength that caught Jim by surprise, he was flipped over and straddled by his demonic Guide.

"You should not have interfered, Sentinel. He was a threat to us and he should have paid."

Jim slowly lifted one hand and laid it across the side of his Guide's face. "Blair, you can't punish everyone."

"Why not?" He seemed to consider it. "No prob, I can always kill him later." He seemed almost happy at the idea.

"Because you can't. Hank has learned his lesson; he won't interfere with us. Killing him would not help. Ummm, let him live with his fear."

Blair tipped his head to one side. "Good, much better". He leaned down, "want to play?" He was nose to nose with his Sentinel.

"Not now, Chief."

Jim rolled his eyes; his Guide was giving him the full puppy dog eyes. But he didn't trust Blair's idea of fun, not in this state.

"Later. We have to get you back to the PD. Simon has a case for us."

Blair sat back up. "Okay." He sounded just a little too bright and breezy. Then he offered his hand to Jim to help him up. The Silver Blade fought the urge to brush it away and allowed Blair to help him up. "How's your hand?"

"Look! All healed." The hand was pushed under his nose for examination.

"Good kid, I…" Whatever he was going to say was lost in an oomph as Blair wrapped himself round his waist.

"I am tired. you can orb us, big guy".

0-0-0-0-0

San Francisco

David wracked his brain. This was the older sister, he was pretty sure. he remembered one called Piper coming to New York, and this hadn't been her.

"David Foxworth" the woman said his name as if it was something she had scrapped off her shoe.

"We've met?"

"No, but I have seen your picture."

He grinned. So Phoebe still had his picture, that gave him leverage.

"Is she in? I really would like to see her."

"Have not you done enough already? She dropped out of University because of you."

"Lady, that wasn't my fault. My father made me give her up and I have been regretting it ever since. I came into my own money so I don't have to do what he says anymore. Alright?"

Pru just shook her head; the creep had picked money over her sister.

"At least let me talk to her." David's voice dropped to a pleading tone.

"All right. But if she tells you to go, you go, and don't come back."

Only then did Pru move to allow him into the house, just as Phoebe came down the stairs. She stopped dead in her tracks, sweeping the towel she had wrapped round her head off. The "h h h ello, David," was said with an embarrassed stutter.

"Hello, Phoebe," He started toward her only to see her take a step back.

"It's been a long time, Dave, why now?" She paused and there were tears in her eyes, "you hurt me; you know that. You didn't even phone me after we broke up. You left me."

"My dad, he," David let his voice drop to a sob, "Pheebs, he sent me away and I had to go. I didn't have any choice, but I kept your photograph, I loved you."

The slow handclap brought him up with a start and he glared at the newcomer, a man in his thirties, dressed all in black, who was leaning against the doorjamb of the front door. "Trying for the an Oscar performance?" The sarcasm was dripping from each word.

"Cole." Phoebe said the newcomer's name as she brushed the tears away. She had not realized how David's appearance had affected her,. He was an open wound that was still festering.

"I am here now," It was said with a surge of possessiveness that, for a moment, seemed to transfix Phoebe. And it didn't take a genius to see that the tall Demon was not happy as he walked past David, jolting the younger man as he took Phoebe in his arms and pulled her tight to him.

Pleased as he felt her arms circling his waist; with one hand Cole stroked the tears away. Whatever claim this man might think he had on Cole's soon-to-be lover, was of the past, and if it meant killing him to free her of that, then so be it. For each tear he would peel away an inch of this man's skin, slowly. Phoebe was his, and only his.

David's anger was simmering; he had been on the point of comforting her when this guy had appeared from nowhere. This must be her Whitelighter; all witches had them. So he was no threat. Because there was no way that the Charmed Ones would allow a Demon in the house, even if he were part of the partnership.

"Are you going to introduce us, Phoebe"?

Pru could see her sister was still coping with her ex-boyfriend's arrival and then Cole's return, which looked like it might explode into violence very soon if she had read his look correctly. Because, although he might be different where her sister was concerned, Cole was still an Arch Demon, and there were emotions running that could see David Foxworth a charred blob on the floor if he said or did the wrong thing and he didn't look all that bright.

So Pru did the introductions.

"David Foxworth, Cole Turner, our…" she paused, "our White lighter." Even as she said it she cringed as she saw the way Cole stiffened.

David cooled, no problem, "A Whitelighter? Well, you don't have to worry about Phoebe. I am back and I am going to look after her."

"Leave!" Cole snarled, feeling his soon-to-be lover clinging to him tightly. So far events had worked against them actually completing the Tr'io bond and this guy was pissing him off. All he wanted to do now was kill, and then claim what was clearly his.

"Cool it, Whitelighter. It's not like you've got a stake in this. Everyone knows that Whitelighters are eunuchs."

Pru started to move out of the way as she saw the anger building in the half Demon; at the same time she called for her other sister.

There was a flash of light on his fingers and then everyone froze. Piper was at the kitchen door. Her ability to freeze time had come in useful before, and it had served them well now.

Phoebe turned on her, "Unfreeze Cole, now!"

"Phoebe, he was going to fry this Foxworth creep and the creep is an innocent," Pru put in.

"Let me talk to him, please?" Phoebe looked from one man to the other, "Maybe you should unfreeze David and get him away first, then I can talk to Cole."

Piper cut in, "Well, make your mind up because Cole is coming out of it. You know I can't freeze him for long." She could still see the murderous look on Cole's face.

Phoebe slid out of Cole's grasp and moved between the two men, and at nod to her sister, the Demon unfroze.

For a moment Cole looked unsure of what had happened. But before he could confront Piper, Phoebe got in first. "Cole, calm down." She saw the fireball formed in his hand; it balanced on his fingertips. "You don't want to do this," she paused., "okay. You do. But think of the mess. Someone is going to come looking for him."

He seemed to be considering it. Then he flipped his hand, and the ball seemed to curve round Phoebe, and only Pru's tackle of the frozen David stopped him becoming ash.

Phoebe had turned fast and then spun back to face Cole. His expression was one of total innocence.

"Got that out of your system? Good!"

"Piper, unfreeze him, so play nice."

As her sister did that, Phoebe closed the distance between her and her demonic partner. "Cole, honey, it's all right; he's history. I just never thought to see him again." Reaching up she kissed him. It was an attention getter. He seemed to hesitate, his need to kill David or be with Phoebe warred with each other. Phoebe won out; he kissed her. It was a kiss that started light and got deeper and more passionate.

Pru coughed, "Break it up; back to business." She watched her sister gently ease back from the half Demon, patting his chest, her eyes fixed only on him.

David came back with a start. Twisting round he saw the scorch mark on the wall behind him. "What th....?" He never got to finish, as Cole got free of Phoebe, and his fist connected with David's jaw, and the man landed on his back, out cold. The follow up kick was vicious and pure Demon, and made the girls cringe. That was going to hurt. But Foxworth had certainly gotten off lucky. Before anything could be said, Phoebe had been caught hold of and shimmered out of the hallway.

Cole needed to re-claim what was his.

Pru viewed the wall and the fallen man. "You know, Piper, it really started out a good day." She looked down as she heard a groan. "Let's get lover boy on the sofa," then as an afterthought added, "I wonder if Ellison found his Guide."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Cascade

Jim controlled the orb so that they landed just before the wards; the last thing he wanted was another violation for his Guide. Blair, so far, had knocked up five for unauthorized shimmering into the PD. There was talk of the Ward Captain having to adapt them to allow Blair in because he had punched so many holes in them.

Blair's arm was still wrapped round his Sentinel. He could feel the oneness of Sentinel and Guide, and it was a balm to his nerves. The people round him, everyone, was grating on him.

It was only when he came through the door of the Bullpen and saw the red head from the gym that he knew that his day could get worse. Blair was already making a snarling hissing noise, which made everyone dive for cover. Rafe and H grabbed for the nearest fire blanket and extinguisher just in case, as they tried to make out the newest target of the demonic Guide's wrath.

"H, see that girl with the folder? Take the folder off her and get her into Simon's office, and do it slowly. Blair's not himself today."

It was said with remarkable calmness. Jim then turned his complete attention to his Guide, "See, Chief, she's gone."

Blair's hand was stroking Jim's chest in smooth strokes as if he was a pet, "good Sentinel, nice Sentinel". The smaller man sounded almost half asleep.

"Rafe, I think it's safe to put the fire blanket down. Remember the blankets for the camp bed? Get them. I need to get Blair settled."

"What happened?"

"Long story, but don't approach Blair, he's a little hyper at the moment."

Looking towards Simon's office he saw the face of his Captain and knew that he had some explaining to do.

"The joys of Demon ownership."

0-0-0-0-0

San Francisco.

Phoebe had her hands full. Cole was all over her the moment they had appeared in the bedroom, which was so not a good idea. She pushed him hard and managed to get him off balance and he landed heavily on the bed, his momentum bouncing him over the other side.

Then she was out of the room and headed up to the attic and the Book of Shadows. She guessed that David had triggered some sort of possessive nature in her boyfriend and it had to be calmed down fast. Somehow, a cold shower was not going to cut it.

She just managed to dive through the door of attic as she heard him yell her name. He hadn't worked out where she had gone yet.

There was a flash of white light and Grams stood there. "Phoebe, I…"

The ghost of their grandmother trailed off as she saw what was clearly a Demon shimmering into the attic. She became solid, and flipped the pages rapidly, as her precious granddaughter faced him down.

Grams knew that she had to work quickly because she could remain solid for only a short time.

"Demon that trespass in this place. Begone now and be replaced. By forces of light not forces of dark

"Grams, no!"

Phoebe began a counter-spell. Cole was lifted off his feet and thrown across the room at the clash of magic as the banishment spell was neutralized.

The impact sent the shelves on the wall falling, scattering old newspapers across the floor.

Phoebe stabbed a finger at the old woman. "You don't do or say anything."

"Cole." Bending, she got an arm round him and helped him to his feet. He looked confused and the possessive streak seemed to have faded. She stored it away for later. Cold showers, no, throwing him against a brick wall, yes. A bit drastic, but it worked.

"How many fingers?"

He pushed her hand down. "Two, and anyone tell you that's not nice?"

"Phoebe, that man's a Demon."

"Yeah, Grams, I know. This is my boyfriend, and my Tr'io partner, Cole Turner."

Grams seemed to squint hard and brought her hand across as if cleaning a windowpane. She gave a frightened gasp and the pages of the book fluttered open. "Belthazor!"

"The same, Witch." Cole shimmered for a moment, and instead of the darkly handsome Demon was a much larger red and back Demon that radiated pure evil. Then he shifted back, but Phoebe had not moved away from him even when confronted with his true demonic form.

"He kills Witches. You're all in danger." Grams knew she had to make Phoebe understand the danger.

"Cole…"

"He's Belthazor." Grams insisted.

"He is both! He is my partner and my boyfriend, which of those don't you understand? Live with it, Grams."

"You'll be sorry," and the ghost vanished.

"Live with it?" Cole looked down at her from his height advantage.

"Well, what else could I say? You try talking to a ghost."She slid her hand in his. "The others are going to be looking for us. Did you find Blair?"

0-0-0-0-0

David was hunched over the kitchen table, one hand wrapped round a cup of tea and the other pressed against his body. His jaw was throbbing and he tried to block the pain from his groin.

It was then he realized that Piper, the middle sister, was talking, "David, you have to understand that insulting a Whitelighter, well, that particular Whitelighter, is not exactly the best way to make an impression on Phoebe. She has a very close connection with him."

"I thought Whitelighters were pacifists."

"Er… well."

He noticed the look that shot between the two sisters, and that Pru, the oldest, picked up the explanation. "Cole is usually very peaceful, and would not hurt a fly, you just got him on a bad day."

David sipped his drink. they were lying. He had never seen a Demon or a Whitelighter, before today, and he was pretty sure he had just seen the former. So that was the Tr'io Demon. Now he just had to find a way of getting rid of him. David had seen enough to know that Phoebe still had strong emotions for him, and that if this Cole was removed, he could take the Demon's place and form a part of the most powerful partnership.

If all the legends about good and evil were right, that was what happened when a Tr'io was decreed. But after that the scales of good and evil were tilted, as neutral ground was found. If one of the partners were killed, then the surving partner could chose again, and this time accept a partner from their own side. They then formed either a White Tr'io or a Dark Tr'io partnership. It was rare because, normally, they died together. But it was known and could be evoked. Their father had not risen to the position he had through lack of information.

But killing a Demon is not easy. First, identify your Demon.

He jolted out of his thoughts, "Sorry."

"Do you need another ice pack?"

"No, I am okay. Thanks." But already his mind was working.

0-0-0-0-0

Cascade

Ashley was angry. This was going from bad to worse. Her personal bet with her brother that she could hook the Sentinel faster than he the Witch looked as if it was going to be a non-starter. And that was a sports car and £50,000 from her trust fund she was going to owe him.

It was then she saw the Forensic Chief, Cassie Wells. Scuttlebutt was that she had had a run in with the Demon Guide and she could just be the woman to help her.

Now was the time for girl talk.

0-0-0-0-0

Rafe could see that there was something very wrong with Blair. He and H had made an effort to get to know the younger man, and had actually found that Blair was normal, well, normal in a kind of off beat way. He was intelligent and funny, and apart from being a bit possessive of Jim, which they put down to the fact he was a Guide, he was okay.

The fact he was a Demon had been unnerving until the Captain had explained about the Tr'io partnership. Now the Bullpen was starting to accept this latest addition to the department.

Rafe had seen the way that Blair had taken an interest in his day release to the University, and was thinking of a way of broaching the subject to Jim that Blair might like to continue his studies. The Guide seemed to like Archaeology and Anthropology; letting slip he had a B.A. and M.A. in those subjects, and a PhD. in Egyptology already. Maybe that would loosen him up a bit, and give Jim a bit more breathing space. It was worth trying.

But at the moment the Sentinel was just concerned with his Guide. Blair was shivering violently; Jim could actually hear his teeth chattering. Quickly, he bundled the smaller man up. It looked as if he was coming down from an adrenaline rush and the kid was crashing and burning.

When Simon called him, he was reluctant to leave his Guide, but duty called. He nodded his thanks as H placed a cup of tea in his Guide's hand and had mouthed that he would stay with him.

Ashley's file lay on Simon's desk.

"What's wrong with him? I had a woman in here saying that he had cut you with a sword."

"It was an accident, and it's a long story. You wanted me, sir?"

Polite as always. With Jim, the politer he became the more he wanted to avoid a subject, then if that failed, he would vent.

"We have a killing, young woman, no enemies. She was found dead by her supervisor. She never came in to work and the man, Norman Chandler, went round with a colleague, Dawn Cutler, to check on her. Cassie is going to be working the Forensics on the case. Is that going to be a problem with Sandburg?"

"No, he's cooled down, they reached an understanding."

"I am sure they did." Simon drawled. "The victim worked at the local Hospital, so go over there and see what they have to say."

0-0-0-0-0

Blair took another sip of his drink and looked towards the doorway, then started as right in front of him was the figure of women. She was petite with short hair, and she wore the uniform of a nurse.

"Help me! You have to help me." Then she vanished as Rafe walked straight through her.

"Blair? You okay?"

"Fine, man, fine," Blair muttered almost under his breath. Whatever it had been, Rafe had not seen it. He gave a shake of his head; the Grimoire had hit him harder than he thought. It must be the Tr'io influence getting to him.

"Chief?" Jim was bending down in front of him, and Blair pulled back, he had not seen the older man arrive.

"You okay?" Jim's hand pressed against his forehead as he checked for a fever. "Temperature is fine, but you look tired. Are you sure you're up to coming with me?"

"What?"

"You didn't get any of that? I asked you if you felt fit to come and look round a murder scene with me."

"I am fine."

Blair stood up, trying not to sway, and dropped the blankets on the floor as he drained the last of his tea.

0-0-0-0-0

Cascade General was a big and imposing building, and the minute the two men stepped inside the door, the Wards began to buzz.

It was some 20 minutes later that Jim found himself in the office of supervisor Norman Chandler.

"It was a terrible shock, Detective." The supervisor looked pale and a little green round the gills still. "I have seen a lot of things in my time, but whatever that monster did to Lynn Lee was…" he ground to a halt, then took a breath.

The officers at the PD would have been surprised but Iceberg Ellison, a man that never gave way to emotions, could sympathize with the supervisor. He had seen a lot of death in his time, and caused some, but there was a horror in the death of an innocent, especially when one had been lost to a Demon attack. It brought out the most primal fears; the boogey man under the bed, the face at the window, or the hand round the doorknob. It was the unknown. This was a demonic attack, and the way she was killed had been sickening. The supervisor was a small dapper man; he belonged pushing paper, not seeing a work colleague butchered.

"What can you tell me about Lynn Lee"?

"She came to Cascade two years ago. The impression I got was that she had a bad divorce and was starting afresh. Good worker and god fearing, she went to church regularly."

"Which one?"

"St. Gutherlacs. It's just round the corner."

The rest of the interview was more background information. But all through it, Blair was looking at the file photograph; it was the ghost from the Bullpen. He suppressed a shudder as a chill brushed his shoulder. Looking up he saw her again, "Please help me. Please?"

Then she vanished. If she had wanted Salvation she would have gone to a priest, if she had wanted to contact family she would have gone to a medium. But if she came to him, then she wanted only one thing… revenge. There was no other reason for coming to a Demon.

Then Blair paused and looked at Jim. There was one other thing she wanted, justice, and had come to the Tr'io, knowing that Blair would see her. Perhaps this once justice and revenge could go hand in hand.

0-0-0-0-0

Ashley was annoyed, Cassie Wells had been of little help. She was jealous of the Demon's place as Jim Ellison's Guide, and clearly thought she should have it, but other than that, she wanted to keep the water calm between them. So there was no way she was going to help promote another woman to her much coveted position as Guide.

Once out of the PD Ashley pulled out her cell phone and speed dialed her brother, pleased to hear that he had failed at the first hurdle as well. It looked like they might have to shelve their competition for the moment and work together on this problem.

The one bit of information she had gathered was that a Techno Witch coven had caused damage to the Tr'io pairing and that the end result was that all the rituals had not been completed, and they still had a window of opportunity.

0-0-0-0-0

At the Church, Blair paused at the front entrance, looking up at the imposing frontage, then waved a hand and felt the static power of the church. It tingled across his fingers.

"Coming in, Chief?"

Blair controlled his breathing, and stepped over the threshold of the church into the vast body of the building, looking up towards the vaulted ceilings, and then down at the marble floors.

"It looks like you have never been in a church before."

"No." He hesitated and then felt Jim's hand on the small of his back. "Remember your get out of jail free card. You're protected."

"Sure," but there was no conviction in the words. Blair had seen what happened to Demons that crossed the threshold of churches, the ones that had been trapped in the windows in France and turned to stone.

It was as if a mist was forming round him that only he could see and it began to contract around him. He fixed his eyes on Jim and thought only of James, of his partnership, of the soul of the man that was his partner, true and pure, loving and caring, and slowly, the feeling faded, the grip lessening. The force of good accepted the connection between the two men.

Already Jim was talking to the Priest, so Blair pulled back and looked round, careful not to touch anything, and to avoid the shadow of the cross that ran down the center isle of the Church.

It was then he saw her; she was sat looking up at the cross.

Looking round Blair joined her.

"Lynn Lee".

The ghost nodded. "Tell me what you want."

"Justice for my death and salvation for those that he will kill if not stopped,"

"Your killer was demonic"?

"Yes. He came to my apartment and offered to sell me some cards for the blind. When I went to get my purse he was inside. He said that I had promised myself to the Source and that he was collecting my soul. I never… I don't even know what the Source is."

"The Source of All Evil, but he would not accept your soul in payment unless…" He looked at the sadness on her face. "Don't worry. You'll get your justice."

0-0-0-0-0

The Priest looked a little unsure of the younger man that came up to the Detective, his clothing was not exactly what you would expect in a church.

"James, we need to talk"

"Chief, I am…"

"It's about the case." He gave Jim's arm a tug, and tried his best 'I am good' smile at the Priest.

"Lynn Lee had been here."

"She was here the morning of her death".

"No, James. I have seen her. This is the third time she has appeared in front of me. First the Bullpen, second the office and now here. She can only appear once more, then she is lost. She said that the Source sent someone to take her soul, I am going down below to have a talk."

He started to shimmer just as Jim said "No!"

The lights high in the Church ceiling began to explode, and Blair was brought back with a bang.

"Outside," Jim pushed him to the door, then looked up and whistled softly, wondering how much this was going to cost him.

0-0-0-0-0-0

San Francisco.

David Foxworth was sporting a nasty bruise to his face. The fact his sister was also failing had been a great bonus.

He had done his homework well. There was one coven that might help him; they were called the Silver Foxes and if they had a member under 65 they would be lucky. The coven had started out as bridge players and then they had admitted into their circle one Pam Halliwell, and her daughter Patty. It had soon become a coven and that Pam and Patty had been the grandmother and mother of the Charmed Ones.

In this he needed power and age, not high tech. That was why the Techno Witches had failed.

A call to his father had given him some very interesting information about the Charmed Ones, and in particular, their Book Of Shadows. But it was well known that the book could not be removed from the house, except by a Halliwell Witch, and David could not see Phoebe doing it for him.

His plan might work, or it might fail spectacularly.

0-0-0-0-0

Cascade

Blair reappeared in the Bullpen, and swore as the alarms sounded around him, he strode to the intercom.

"Sorry, George. Sandburg."

"Yeah? Well, if you had better wards I would have to walk." The alarm switched off.

Then his smile froze as he saw Captain Simon Banks standing there with his hands on his hips, a cigar clutched in his mouth, unlit.

"Sandburg, my office," Simon growled.

Blair moved his hand and the cigar burst into flame.

The Captain took a puff on the cigar, "My office, now!"

0-0-0-0-0

San Francisco.

The Silver Foxes were sat looking at the young man, and the older of the two tut tutted as she saw the heavy bruising that marred the good looking young man.

"A Demon did that to you? How terrible," Margaret Rutland said, looking every part of a traditional grandmother.

"The problem is, ladies, that this Demon must have cast a spell because his true form is masked. The girls have invited him into their house, which means that their wards are not going to protect them."

"And these girls are"? Sandra Ball asked.

"Pru, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell". He waited for their reaction.

"Mr. Foxworth, those are the Charmed ones. They are powerful witches."

"Ladies, Phoebe was my girlfriend," He pulled out the old pictures, "Until the Demon appeared, she was in love with me. Now they won't listen to me."

Sandra looked round at the other ladies, then back, "Do you know the name of the Demon?"

"Yes. Cole Turner."

"Not very demonic", Sandra mused. "But then they often have human names. I think we'd best call Prudence, she might know. Now Mr. Foxworth."

"David, please."

"David, we are going to summon a ghost of our past sister Witch, there is no need to be frightened." She reached across and gave his hand a motherly squeeze.

His plan was working. Now he just had to convince Prudence and it would all fall in place.

0-0-0-0-0

Cascade

Blair came out of the office. Simon had read the riot act to him about the shimmering and use of demonic powers in the Bullpen, but had also given him a cup of coffee and seemed interested in how he was getting on. Very puzzling.

What he was used to was pain. If you did wrong, the Source was never slow in inflicting punishment. If you really screwed up, he would kill you. He had had a knife to his throat more than once. Pain had to answer for failure. This was something that he still found hard to understand. James never hurt him when he did wrong. Jim should have taken the sword to him when Blair accidentally cut him. That was what he'd meant by blood for blood, his Sentinel had not understood.

He rubbed his palm thoughtfully; there was more to living with mortals and a Silver Blade than he had thought.

0-0-0-0-0

Jim Ellison finished up his investigation very thoughtful. Everything about the woman seemed on the level. A quiet and peaceful woman, it seemed to point to her ex husband. The man had sworn that he would never let her go.

He was about to pin the picture of her onto the wall when he looked at it again. There was a small broach on her lapel and it was a jade piece. He increased his eyesight and it began to come into close focus. Then there was nothing.

Blair was coming out of the office when he saw his Sentinel and immediately knew something was wrong, his yell making Rafe back away. A wrong touch and the zoned out Sentinel could spiral down and be lost in the black void.

"James, listen to my voice and feel my touch. My voice is the rope. My touch, the pathway that will bring you back."

Jim heard the voice as if from a long way and felt a hand on his face. It was as if everything just snapped back into focus and he found himself looking at his Guide. Leaning forward he pulled his Guide close, needing to submerge his over stretched senses in his Guide.

"The lapel badge, Chief. The one that Chandler was wearing. It's the same one as Lynn Lee."

"I spoke to one of the Arch Demons downstairs. He said that someone in Cascade had struck a deal with a Carrion Demon. The Demon kills those marked by the hand of his master, and in return, the master gets revenge on those people that stood in his way."

"We have to get to Norman Chandler, and now." Still clutching his Guide, Jim Orbed from the Bullpen.

At the shriek of the alarm, Simon was on his feet and out the door of his office. One word was being roared, "Sandburg!"

The hospital was reluctant to release the address of the supervisor, only saying that he had been called home, but with Jim Ellison at his most intimidating, they had relented.

0-0-0-0-0-0

San Francisco.

Prudence Halliwell, Senior, paced round the room; she was not sure about it, but finally relented. "The Book has never been removed from the house. I personally don't like this, but to save the girls from themselves, it must be. Now you said that here are two Demons. Bh'lear," she gave a shudder, "I remember him. A nasty bit of work, a mercenary Demon, a killer."

"What does he look like?" Sandra asked.

"Has the face of an angel, looks around 25 years old, with the language of a mule skinner and the magical powers of an Arch Demon. He nearly killed my granddaughters last year. The other one is Belthazor," she paused, "he is the one that has my youngest in his thrall, so we have to be able to destroy them both." She bit her lip, "A vanquishing spell needs the power of three to work, but a potion that would kill them can be made. That will be our insurance if this fails."

0-0-0-0-0

Cascade

"Cascade PD," Jim yelled as he kicked the door down, and the Carrion Demon went through the window. "Blair!" His partner took off after him, as Jim leveled his gun at the only human present. Dawn Cutler, the woman who earlier had seemed so shattered by the death of her friend, was enraged.

"Why did you have to interfere?" she spat the words at Jim, her face distorted by her anger.

"Back away from him," Jim watched her move clear and then knelt down by Norman Chandler. There was blood down the man's face, but the Sentinel could hear a heartbeat. They had managed to save an innocent.

"Don't you see? I had to do it! Lynn Lee was going to get Norman, and the promotion, everything that I had worked for. She batted her eyes at Norman and he gave her everything. Do you know how long I worked to get to be a senor-nursing sister, and she comes in and he gives her the job. She was not good enough, but she got it because of her face and her figure. He was going to marry me before that bitch came along." She dissolved into tears.

"The Carrion Demon... how did you summon it?"

"Down near the docks there's a man, he told me how to do it."

"The badges act as a homing beacon?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I gave one to Norman and Lynn and they put them on."

"Miss Dawn Cutler, you are under arrest. Jim ignored her protests and cautioned her, then handcuffing her to the refrigerator, he went after his Guide.

Blair was fast, but the Carrion Demon had doubled down an alleyway and he knew, just knew, that the creature was waiting to attack him.

When it jumped at him Blair dived out of the way, rolled over his shoulder and then came up on one knee. The fireball hit the Demon before it could recover and it went up in flames.

Blair watched it burn. Sometimes, it really felt quite rewarding doing good. Where else could he fry a Carrion Demon without having to worry about a Silver Blade on his tail for it?

Then he shimmered back to meet his Sentinel.

In mid-shimmer, he was hit by a force like nothing had ever felt before.

0-0-0-0

Jim saw his Guide start to appear as the air folded back, and then he was gone. The look of agony on Blair's face showed he had been summoned, pulled to another place.

0-0-0-0

Blair appeared in a cylinder shaped room, but before he could take it all in, he was hit in the stomach by a shaft of white light. Like a spear, it drove him up off his feet and against the wall, the shaft fixing him in place, his scream echoing off the walls.

Through the pain he saw the Book of Shadows on the lectern, and the shaft was coming from its pages.

It was then he saw Cole appear. His yelled warning was too late and his brother was hit and secured opposite him. Both Demons were now trapped.

0-0-0-0-0

David Foxworth pushed open the door to the cylinder and looked up at the Demons, transfixed ten feet in the air.

"Demon, you think you're so clever, but you're going to pay. This book will kill you, and kill you slowly, sucking out your demonic life force."

"Why?" Cole grated the word out.

"How dare you have what I want. My father is going to pay good money once I have my Witch. Oh, and Demon? She is so good in the sack. When she comes, she screams my name and wants more; a real little slut."

Cole's hand lashed round, but the fireball disappeared in white mist and then he screamed as the shaft took him through the arm.

"See, Demon.? Well, it's been nice talking to you. Don't you have anything to say Bh'lear? My sister should have your Sentinel by now. Don't worry, you won't be missed."

His smile was pure evil as he walked through the door. What he didn't see was, as it closed, a white shaft struck the door that would have taken him through the back. He had crossed the line; he was no longer an innocent.

Time for the Demons seemed to stand still.

"B B lair?"

"Yeah?" Both men were struggling through the pain.

"D did you see that?"

"S so?" Blair could not help a groan of pain.

"So it traps Demons, and Foxworth nearly got nailed, so he's not an innocent."

"If we get out of here we can fry the bastard, so your point is?" Blair somehow managed to sound sarcastic though the pain.

"We can get out of here."

"Right, Cole, great plan. How?" Blair snarled. "But since we're Demons we're screwed". He screamed as the shaft moved, slashing across his stomach, fighting against the new pain.

"The Book is…" Cole moved his hand and then a new shaft took him though the forearm. He was panting hard. "The Book is reacting to our evil and punishing us for our crimes," forcing the words through the spikes of pain that threatened to black him out.

"James," Blair said the name of his Sentinel, "he is the only good thing in my life, just as your Witch is in yours. In the joining of the Tr'io, we get a cosmic get out of jail free card. It has to work with this Book as well." The two Demons were in synch.

"Give yourself over to your Witch, Cole. Your heart and soul, give them over to Phoebe." He gave a painful chuckle. "See? I do know her name."

Closing his eyes, Blair began to concentrate on his Sentinel, the strength and power for good that was the man. The fact they had not bonded fully made it harder, but Blair reached out in his mind to his Silver Blade, the part of Jim that lived in his own black soul, the spark of light.

He moved and the white shaft shot out and then stopped inches from his throat, then slowly it retracted back into the Book. The shaft in Cole's arm shuddered and then pulled out of his flesh with a sickening sound.

0-0-0-0

Jim was at the manor. The fact that both Demons had vanished, along with the Book of Shadows, was damning, but he could not believe that both of them had turned.

Pru was pacing up and down. "They're demons! What do you expect? They took the book."

"How?" Piper put in. She could not believe that they would have done that. She had seen the changes in Cole and to a lesser extent, Blair. If she was honest, he still freaked her out. After all, she had been at on the wrong side of his sword that time he had gutted the manor and nearly killed them.

Now she had everyone's attention. "Look. They could not touch the Book, let alone shimmer out of the house with it. The only way it could be removed is by a Witch, a Halliwell Witch, and we didn't do it."

She looked round from Phoebe to Pru and back to Jim.

"So if they didn't, then who did?" It was then that the color drained from Pru's face.

"Grams!"

"She's dead. She could not," Piper had started and then ground to a halt. She remembered how solid Grams could be; they had all hugged her at one time or another. "But why?"

"Cole!" Pru swore. Phoebe was impressed. She didn't realize her sister knew half of those words.

"We brought Grams through, remember? For the celebration and Cole was there. She was really scared of him and said that Tr'io or not, he should be vanquished." She shrugged. "Sorry, Phoebe. We put her straight, but she didn't like it. She said that he would turn and that we would all die. And she said that you needed a white magic partner, like..." her words slowed, "like that nice David Foxworth."

"Dave? But she never met him, unless… That bastard! He's behind this. He must have sold Grams on the idea that Cole was evil." She stopped as she saw the looks, "Okay. He's a Demon but he's reforming. At least he's trying. Grams must have removed the Book, but where?"

Jim cut across her. "Your grandmother, she would have to take the book to another summoning circle, right? She could not just appear anywhere, so it had to be a place that Foxworth had, safe and private."

Pulling out his mobile Jim began stabbing at keys. Moving away from the girls he started firing questions machine gun style. "Foxworth has one property that might fit the bill; it's on the waterfront. You'd better come with me, Phoebe. If he's got them, they're going to need us both." He reached his hand out and pulled her to him, then orbed in a shower of white light.

Pru stalked round the empty lectern. "Now let's have a word with Grams."

0-0-0-0-0

Jim appeared outside the building, not wanting to risk setting off any wards. Lifting his hand he ran it in an arc, feeling the rippling of power coming off the building. Phoebe gave his arm a tug, and pointed to several piles of ash, and mouthed one word, "Demon."

Her heart went to her mouth. If it did that to Demons who were not even in the building, what the hell would it do to Cole and Blair inside the building?

"They're alive! I can heart their heartbeats. Come on."

Entering the building was not easy, but Jim's covert skills circumvented the alarm system and they were inside. The inside of the building had been gutted and a staircase led up the side of what looked like a giant cylinder.

Looking down they saw the two Demons, pinned to opposite sides of the cylinder walls.

Whatever they were doing, the white shafts were slowly pulling out of their flesh, and blood began to flow from the wounds.

Jim nearly zoned on Blair's blood as it gushed from his mouth. As the last shaft shuddered and pulled from their bodies, the two Demons collapsed, hitting the floor with a sickening thud.

Jim vaulted the rail and landed like a cat on the floor of the cylinder. Instantly, he knew that using magic at that moment might cause more problems than it would solve.

Crouching down by Blair's side Jim pulled him onto his back. His blood was already pooling under his body. There was only one way to save his life, no, correction as he heard Phoebe call Cole's name, one way to save both their lives. Looking round the cylinder he saw the door; it was almost invisible. He gave the door a kick and it buckled. The second kick crashed it open. He didn't need Sentinel hearing to hear Phoebe coming down the steps.

Already he could hear their pulses starting to slow. Gathering Blair to him he looked to the Book of Shadows. It seemed dormant. "You see to the Book. I'll get them back to the Manor." He manhandled his Guide, went to Phoebe and bent, pulled Cole to him. He had never tried to Orb two before. For a moment nothing happened, then he was gone.

Phoebe opened the Book. Placing her palms on it, she spoke the spell that would return it to the manor, and her with it.

She took the stairs two at a time. Blood had smeared over the sofa and carpet and was already burning through them. When she arrived, it was in time to see Jim Ellison disappearing.

He returned only a few minters later, carrying a burlap bag, and thrust a piece of paper at Piper. "Start brewing this. It's the only way to save them."

With that, he laid the burlap bag down and opened it as if it was a booby-trapped bomb. He tugged, with a pair of tweezers he had taken from his pocket, at a piece of paper. It was as large as a page from the Book of Shadows but the vibes from the paper were dark, almost evil.

"It's from the Grimoire," Jim told them. "A little insurance policy." When he noticed Pru was about to say something, he added, "Don't ask. Scissors?" The sudden change in topics threw her. "Scissors. I need them."

Pru dug a pair out of Grams old sewing box. "Right. Open up Blair's shirt, so that I can see his stomach wound."

Phoebe hesitated, then seeing the look in Jim's eyes, she did it. The Silver Blade carved a piece of the page and then yelled, "You got that brew ready?"

He went back to cutting the page up, before gathering the pieces of the page together, laying them on the burlap bag and using it as a tray. Even as he warned, "don't try to touch them. It will suck the power right out of you and leave a husk. It's pure evil."

Piper came in with the potion. "I put it into two bottles, half each."

"Good. Now this isn't going to be nice. I need you to make a containment area round this room; when they get the brew they're going to be dangerous. There is disorientation and that is when they will try to fry us. Belthazor and Bh'lear will be back on line when the page heals them. The brew will be like re-booting a computer and should bring them back to us. It's a risk, or we let them die."

"Do it."

Piper put in quickly. "Stop!"

She disappeared from the room, brought back some cake tongs and a plate, and took some pieces of the book from Jim's burlap covered hand.

"Okay. You and Pru take Blair, and I'll take Cole with Phoebe." Only then did they invoke the containment spell that would stop anyone from shimmering out of the manor.

"Remember. The page first, then the brew. It has to be in that order," Jim told them, then said, "Good luck to us all."

"Now!" As one, they placed the strips of the page on the wounds. The demonic blood seemed to sizzle and seal it to the wound. Phoebe smiled with relief as Cole's eyes opened for the first time. Then she went flying backward as he lashed out.

Pru started to stand up, and in that second missed the fireball that Blair managed to push up from where he lay.

Jim's fist crashed into Blair's face, but even as his fist impacted, he felt a pain shoot through him like a knife; he was hurting his Guide. It was an attention getter, then Jim had his hands full of demonic Guide.

"Help your sisters with Cole." he spat out as the curtains took light.

Phoebe's kick to his groin had brought Cole down onto all fours, and the follow up kick to the head sent him down on his stomach. But even so, he turned onto his side roaring with pain, an energy ball sent Piper crashing across the room into an armchair that, luckily, broke her fall.

Cole kicked out, sweeping Phoebe's legs from under her. He was on top of her, his hand coming down with a killing blow as the vase connected with the back of his head, and his body slumped down, pinning Phoebe down. She pushed him off, and together with Piper, flipped him onto his back. Tipping his head back, the brew was poured down his throat and he nearly chocked on it. His eyes snapped open, and an energy ball narrowly missed Pru, then the pain hit him. Black light began to pour from his mouth, and nose, and eyes. His body arched back.

Stepping back, they turned to see how the Silver Blade was getting on.

Jim had his hands full of his demonic Guide. Blair was vicious, and Jim had to use everything he had ever learned to take his Guide down. His head was still ringing from the roundhouse kick to it, that had thrown him into the wall, leaving a large dent in the plasterboard. He had ducked the follow up that would have caved his head in.

Blair had been off balance and Jim's short, but full powerful, blow to his Guide's stomach had sent Blair to the floor. The Sentinel had seen the leg swing and managed to avoid it. A kick to Blair's knee had brought him crashing down and then Jim had dropped onto his back, holding him pinned to the carpet on his belly, as the smaller body had bucked and thrust up to try and dislodge him.

Keeping his hand palm down on the ground he had yelled for Pru to get her ass over there and help get the brew into Blair.

It had been tricky but they had managed it. Jim had pulled back as the black light had started to pour from his Guide.

The Witches and the Silver Blade spread out so they could cover the two convulsing Demons. The black light began to die out, the tension eased from the two men, and then they slumped down on the carpet.

Cole rolled onto his side and looked up at them, his eyes showing his confusion. "What happened?" Then they lit up, "Phoebe!" He reached out to her and she didn't hesitate, rushing to him and pulling him close. The Tr'io was once more running through him as they connected. She managed to get a shoulder under his arm and pull him to his feet, staggering slightly under the weight. He looked round in something akin to disbelief at the damage to the room.

"James." The voice was shaky, and whispered that softly the girls almost missed it, but Jim didn't. He was at his Guide's side, collecting him to him and holding him close. Then he pushed Blair onto the carpet and began to run his hands almost frantically over the smaller man, head, shoulders, then hands, pushing up his shirt and jacket.

Blair caught Jim's large hands in his. "Later, big guy. You're upsetting the locals." He nodded his head at the girls. Then louder added, "it is a Sentinel thing. He needs to know his Guide is safe." Softly, he breathed, "Easy, Sentinel, I am all yours." His fingers gently brushed Jim's face.

There was an arch of power between the two of them; only then did Jim pull Blair up. Both Demons looked a little shaken but were on their feet.

"It was Foxworth. But how the fuck did he get the Book of Shadows?" Blair all but snarled.

Jim gave the girls an apologetic look. Blair's language was colorful, at best, and he gave his Guide a clip across the back of the head, as he scolded, "Watch your language, Chief. There are ladies present." His hand only ruffled the long hair of the Demon. But they got a softly spoken, "sorry."

The girls looked uncomfortable. "It was Grams. She gave the book to David Foxworth, she...." Pru felt as the eldest she should explain, "She was scared of Phoebe developing a relationship with a Demon, and took the Book and allowed herself to be summoned to the place you were found. She must have set the book up and said the spell. Then David got you two there."

"David!" Cole said the name and looked to Blair, and they shimmered as one.

The lights bulbs in the room exploded, showering the carpet in glass, the air folded back in on itself and the two Demons reappeared.

"Easy, both of you," Jim put in, catching his Guide and pleased to see that Phoebe had a firm hold on Cole's arm. "David is going to pay, but reducing him to a crispy fry is not going to help you. He will pay, I promise you."

"And that bitch Ashley!" Blair snarled.

Phoebe frowned. "Ashley, tall leggy red head?"

"Yeah! You know her?" Blair tried to take a step to her.

"Sort of. She's David's older sister. I remember her from New York. You know that film, 'Cruel Intentions'? That had nothing on that pair."

Piper looked round. "Then it's time that the Foxworths learn that you don't screw round with the Halliwell's." She made sure that she was looking straight at Cole, Blair and James when she added, "or their family."

0-0-0-0

David was walking up the steps to the front of the house, a bunch of flowers in his arm that must have caused the death of several flowerbeds. Phoebe would be crumbling by now, with her Tr'io partner gone, and he would fill the void. If it had gone right, they would think that the Demons had taken the Book of Shadows. In a couple of days time, when the Demons were nothing more than hanging corpses, he would retrieve the Book and become the big hero. Ashley was already in place now to comfort James Ellison at the hotel. He was so close to success that he could taste it.

Hilton Hotel

Ashley patted her hair, looked at herself in the mirror, and admired the view. She took a small perfume spray from her purse and applied it. She was out to get her man and tonight she would bed him and net him.

Halliwell Manor

David's knuckles hit the door twice, and he schooled his expression, as Pru the eldest of the tree sisters opened the door.

"David!" Then next minute, he was flying through the air and landing in a small heap against the far wall. Getting shakily to his feet he saw Phoebe, but instead of looking destroyed and moping, she looked royally pissed.

"What's wrong, Phoebe, darling?"

"Don't Phoebe me, you scum sucking creep."

David's mouth opened and closed. He offered her the flowers, "Darling, I am sorry that you're hurting so much, but you can't let him pull you down."

The second that he registered the tall dark demon shimmering in to stand at Phoebe's shoulder, the bunch of flowers ignited and he let them fall, stamping down on the flames.

Phoebe put a hand out and snagged Cole's arm. "It's okay, honey. I am seeing to this." Her voice had been normal, but her eyes had flashed, and Cole had backed off. If his mate wanted to handle this, he would let her, and then he would toast the bastard.

He was rewarded with her hand moving up to stroke his face. Then she turned so fast, for the second time in five minutes and for the second time in three visits, David found himself on his back staring up at the ceiling. Phoebe had not pulled the punch that had floored him.

Now an extremely angry Phoebe was standing over him. "If you ever endanger my boyfriend again I will personally take you apart, bit by bit".

"Darling, he's a Demon."

"So? He's my Demon!" The almost snarl of possession was music to Cole's ears.

0-0-0-0-0

Hilton Hotel

Ashley knocked on the door and waited; then the door was opened and Jim Ellison stood there. He stepped back to allow her to enter the room. She made sure that she walked close to him and that he got a good smell of the perfume. She turned round to face him, watching the way his nose flared as he took the scent deep into his lungs.

"Sentinel, your Guide is missing. You must be sufferering." She swayed as she reached out for him, her fingers trailing down his face, and resting on his chest.

"I know that I can't replace your missing Guide, but Jimmy, I can take the pain away." Ashley leaned forward and her lips brushed his, her tongue making a sweep across his lower lip.

Then she gave a scream of pain and spun round. Blair stood behind her, an energy ball balanced in his hand.

"That was a low energy ball. Want to try for a bigger one?" His eyes had a light to them that made her very worried. "That first one was an attention getter."

She rubbed her butt. "You're dead."

"No, just demonic. You know when I first told James, and the name is James, not Jimmy," his tone hardened, "but you can call him Sentinel Ellison, that I wanted to take you apart; he was all harmony and peace, live and let live, but now I kinda think that I have him to my way of thinking."

She felt the Sentinel nuzzle at her throat and blushed. The perfume was laced with pheromones that would attract a Sentinel, and seeing the effect that it was having on the demonic Guide, she could see her days were numbered.

"You see, when you try to take what is mine, you sign your own death sentence." The energy ball hit her on the leg; she gave a cry of pain and jumped backwards, colliding straight with Jim, who seemed oblivious of what was going on, aware just of the woman in front of him.

"Please, it wasn't my idea! My father knew that David used to date the Witch and said that if David could deliver her, then he would get a million. And then I agreed to try and...." She gave a small cry of pain as Jim nipped her throat. His arms wrapped round her, lost in the scent of the perfume.

"I agreed to try and become James…Sentinel Ellison's Guide." She was trying to talk quickly to avoid the next energy ball that was forming in Blair's hand.

"David said he could get the Book. Hell! All this Witch stuff is beyond me. He just said to fly to San Francisco and be ready to take over. I had no idea what he was planning. Please don't kill me."

Blair took a step forward. "You tried to take my Sentinel. Look at him."

Ashley pushed Jim away from her. "I don't want him. Look! It's just this perfume." She threw it to Blair and bolted for the door. The concussive force of the energy ball hitting the door threw her backward.

"Please! Please, don't!"

"Get out of the country, Ashley because this one country isn't big enough for the both of us." Blair saw the way she was nodding frantically. "And don't tell your father or brother. We'll be paying them both a visit, and you would not want me to come looking for you."

Ashley yanked the door open and was running down the corridor as if all the Demons in the underworld were after her.

"James." Blair dropped his tone as the almost stunned Sentinel turned towards him.

Jim shook his head and then swept Blair up and threw him against the wall, his face pressed to the smaller Demon's throat, inhaling his scent with deep shuddering breaths. Clearing her stench from his head, turning to the only scent that would ever call him, that of his one true Guide. Slowly, the tension began to fade from his shoulders and Jim's arms relaxed. One hand dropped to Blair's waist and the other relaxed its grip on Blair's hair.

The demonic Guide found himself nose to nose with his Sentinel. Jim was off balance but his senses were re-aligning on Blair; he could feel them like a caress across his mind. It was with an almost superhuman restraint that Blair pushed Jim back from him. "Foxwell, first, and then we bond." His hand brushed Jim's face.

Halliwell Manor. David was on his feet and still trying. A million was a lot of money, and as part of the Tr'io, he could get even more.

"Phoebe, darling, I love you ! I could not stand the idea of that thing..." he spat the comment to Cole, "pawing you. For god's sake, he's a Demon! He kills Witches!" He paused, and the hint of a smirk touched his lips. "Can't you see, Phoebe, what he's doing? He's evil. I did it for you... for us. I've read up on him, on Belthazor. How many did you kill, Demon? How many Witches have you torn the beating hearts out of? Phoebe? Okay. I was out of line, but I would move heaven and earth to keep you safe. I love you and want you."

When she turned to Cole he felt that he had won from the look on her face.

Cole knew that Phoebe would have read up on him; he had expected that. But to hear it from David... he avoided looking at the other sisters, his eyes fixed only on his mate's face.

"That's history, David, and history is the past, and the future is the Tr'io."

"You stupid bitch!" David exploded, "Don't you have any idea of what we could be? What we could have done together?"

He broke off as Blair and Jim orbed into the manor. Jim was stood behind his Guide, his arm looped round him. This way, Blair moved at Jim's pace. Allowing him to shimmer himself might have been asking for trouble. He could feel the barely veiled aggression radiating off him.

"What your father wanted, you mean." Jim eased past his Guide. "You see, David, we paid him a visit."

"Dad still breathing?"

"Yes."

"Pity."

The girls could not believe the change in the manor the bitter loathing in that one word.

"Foxworth, senior, wants power and control. Money can't buy what he wants. It eats his gut out that he severed a relationship that would have netted him one of the Charmed ones, so he told David and Ashley that if they could replace the demonic part of the Tr'io partnership, they would get his wealth now, and not in 30 years time. So it was money, pure and simple. The root of all evil."

If David had ever been balanced; he lost it. He had to lash out and Jim was the target, "You think you're so clever, don't you? Ashley, did she get in your bed, Sentinel? She would not have even tried but for the money." He saw the look, "Oh! She didn't make it that far? What's the matter? You too busy fucking that psycho demon of yours.

Even as he was speaking, David slid his hand into his pocket, fingering the small bottle. He had no Book of Shadows, nothing, but he could take away what they treasured the most, their Tr'io partners.

The bottle was just in David's fist when the energy ball took him in the chest, smashing through his flesh, crushing his ribs, and pulverizing his heart.

Jim lowered his hand. Bending, he picked up the intact bottle and handed it to Piper. "Dispose of this. If it had hit the ground, those that we love would have been killed. He paid the price. The moment he stole the Book he ceased to be an innocent and became the enemy. No one threatens my Guide."

It was late in the evening and the Charmed One's knew what they had to do. This time there could be no mistake.

The summoning spell was spoken, and in the circle a white light began to appear, and the figure of an older woman took shape.

Grams appeared in the manor and caught her phantom breath. "Pru, Phoebe, Piper? I don't really think you should be calling me with those people present."

She glared at Cole and Blair.

"Pru, dear, they are Demons."

Phoebe crossed to where Cole stood, slid her arm through his, and gave a squeeze, "We know what you did, Grams, trying to destroy Blair and Cole. You were interfering with a Tr'io. You did know that, didn't you?"

"Well, er… well."

"Don't lie, Grams. You could not do it very well when you were alive and you're lousy at it now you're dead. David used you, and remember… well, we want you to witness something."

She tugged Cole over to the lectern; she felt him pull back as the Book of Shadows began to glow. She glanced across and noticed that Jim had a hand on each side of Blair's shoulders; Pru took the center position, then reached out to Piper on one side and Phoebe on the other, who linked with Cole. Jim linked with Cole and his own Guide, who linked with Piper. She tried not to flinch at his touch.

Then the girls began to speak.

BOOK OF SHADOWS HEAR OUR PLEA THESE DEMONS NOW PRESENT, LET THEM BE DEMONS OF EVIL, NOW DEMONS FOR GOOD. NOW BELONG TO THIS FAMILY AND ARE LINKED THROUGH BLOOD.

Grams face took on a look of compete horror, "You can't, you…" she stuttered off.

Pru released her sister's hand. "Cole, you want to touch the book?"

"Not really," He looked at it warily.

Phoebe gently coxed her partner over to the book. Linking her fingers through his, she placed his hand on the book, and it was like a short snap of static electricity, and then nothing. She slid her hand from his with just a caress of his hand. Encouraged, he opened the book. The pages were hot to his fingers and the book didn't like it, but it would not strike out at him. He closed the book reverently.

Jim led his Guide to the tome and then did the same, covering Blair's hand, but at the same time, wrapping the other arm round his waist. The book accepted his touch, but the static electric shock of white magic was stronger, and they could hear it discharge. Jim understood it. Blair was the more edgy of the two Demons; he spoke softly to Blair and felt his Guide relax against him and the Book seemed to calm until Blair could open the pages.

Jim drew him away; he could feel the tremors running through his Guide.

He turned his attention to the now solid ghost. "The Elders have been told of what you did and your attempt to destroy the two Tr'io groups. You're lucky not to be haunting a house in Texas. By the oaths I took as a Silver Blade, attempt to hurt my Guide again and that house in Texas will be paradise after what I do to you." He looked down into his Guide's face, then nuzzled at his throat, and orbed them both away.

Grams mouth opened and closed. "Who does he think he is and what…?"

"Tr'io Sentinel and Guide, Grams, and believe me, he means it." Piper was the one that answered her, as Grams jaw dropped even further. Cole had both arms round Phoebe's waist, his head bent down near hers, she said something that made him chuckle, low, deep and sexy.

Pru threw her hands up. "You two go and find a hotel room."

Cole looked up at her; Phoebe had eyes only for him. "Not a bad idea, oh, and tell James, or any Whitelighters, that the next person that orbs, shimmers, or comes through the door in the next five hours, is going to be fried."

"Five hours?!?

"I like to take my time. Call it Demon stamina." He pulled Phoebe to him, kissing her passionately as they shimmered out.

Piper leaned against the lectern, "Guppy fish at feeding time, Grams."

"What ?" The older ladies mouth snapped shut and she vanished.

The two remaining sisters exchanged looks. "Phew! We need to get a love life. Five hours, huh?" Piper commented.

Pru looked thoughtful. "I wonder if there are any other brothers at home like them?"

0-0-0-0-0

Phoebe gave a gasp as she was pinned onto the bed by her soon-to-be demonic lover. Her hands were trying their best to strip him of his jacket, then shirt, and any other bits of clothing she could get her hands on.

0-0-0-0-0

Cascade

For Jim Ellison the knowledge that he had nearly lost his guide was painful enough for him want to claim his guide once and for all.

Blair looked up at him; the need for full connection shining in his eyes. The Sentinel was standing so close the two men were almost touching. Jim's hand moved up to cradle his Guide's face as he allowed his senses to expand until the only thing in his universe was his guide. His mind was working overtime to take it all in and imprint his guide, once and for all. Then he closed his eyes, and his hands came free of the smaller man. Blair had to catch hold of him to prevent him from falling. It was as if, in breaking contact, part of his life force had been drained away.

Jim tipped his hand, palm up, to the heavens, and then the energy began to form on his hands, white energy that ran off his fingers like water and swirled round them, becoming a cocoon of light wrapping them together. Blair pressed both hands to Jim's chest and then pushed back, lowering his head. Eyes now closed, he began to channel his own power. From the floor, the red demonic power began to rise, weaving into the white power, and swirling round. Sealing the two men in a cocoon of power, the lights in the building and then down the block, began to black out as the red and white light streamed from the window of the Loft. In the cocoon, sentinel and guide became one in the eyes of the Tr'io.


End file.
